1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a gateway apparatus and, more particularly, to a gateway apparatus which converts voice mail into electronic mail so as to transfer the voice mail data to an electronic mail server distributing electronic mails to personal computers connected thereto. The present invention also relates to a gateway apparatus which converts a text file of electronic mail into voice mail so as to store the voice mail data in a voice mail apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, personal computers are being connected to a network so that users can communicate with each other by using electronic mail. Since a capability of personal computers and networks has been improved, multimedia oriented communications, such as communications of static image data, dynamic image data and voice data, have become more popular for the communications between personal computers as well as a mail exchange based on text file data.
Conventionally, as a technique for transmitting audio data via the electronic mail communications between personal computers, a technique disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-293063 is known. According to this technique, an audio file is produced by using an audio processing apparatus provided in a personal computer. The audio file is attached to an electronic mail file so that the audio file is transmitted through the personal computer via electronic mail.
In the above-mentioned conventional technique, the audio file can be accessed via each personal computer connected to the network such as a local area network. However, this technique requires a microphone as a voice inputting device and a soundboard as an interface between the voice inputting device and the personal computer. That is, the microphone and the soundboard must be attached to each personal computer.
Additionally, there is a system in which a personal computer is provided with a soundboard and voice data output from a telephone is received by a personal computer via the soundboard as electronic mail through an existing telephone line. In this system, the contents of the voice data stored in the personal computer cannot be accessed from a remote place. Additionally, a telephone line must be connected to each personal computer.